1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to articles for handling equipment, and more particularly, to an apparatus for carrying fishing equipment.
2. Description of Related Art
Fishing is an extremely popular pastime, both in the United States and in the rest of the world. The sport takes many forms (e.g., stream fishing, deep sea fishing, etc.), however, most of those forms require the fisherman to make use of various fishing equipment. For example, angling, by definition, requires a fishing rod and a line. Assorted lures, hooks, and miscellaneous tools may also be employed. Other than the rod, these items are typically carried in a tackle box. Food, drink, and other refreshments may also be desireable items to accompany the fisherman on a fishing outing. Typically, these items are transported in an ice box or other box-like container. As the amount of equipment and other items desired to be taken on an outing increases, so does the difficulty in transporting that equipment to the fishing site.
Attempts to solve the problem of transporting fishing equipment to a fishing site have resulted in the development of assorted carts for carrying the equipment. Some carts are collapsible, others are not. Of the carts which are collapsible, they typically suffer from the disadvantage that they include complicated and cumbersome mechanisms for collapsing the cart. In addition, the mechanism for collapsing these carts typically compromise the load bearing capacity of the cart by diminishing the space available for equipment. The present invention is directed to a cart which avoids these, and other, disadvantages inherent in prior fisherman's carts.
Applicant is aware of the following U.S. Patents concerning carts for carrying equipment.
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Expires Inventor Title ______________________________________ 3,780,466 12-25-1990 Hadnot DEVICE FOR HOLDING FISHING RODS 3,804,432 04-16-1991 Lehrman COLLAPSIBLE CART 4,355,818 10-26-1999 Watts FISHERMAN'S CART 4,448,434 05-15-2001 Anderson COLLAPSIBLE HAND TRUCK 4,749,209 06-07-2005 Edmonds COLLAPSIBLE FISHING GEAR AND LOAD BEARING CARRIAGE Des. 286,699 11-11-2000 Thomas, Jr. FISHERMAN'S CART, OR SIMILAR ARTICLE Des. 246,359 11-15-1991 Powers CART FOR FISHING EQUIPMENT Des. 264,888 06-08-1996 Watts FISHERMAN'S CART ______________________________________
Thomas, Powers, and Watts '888 are all design patents relating fisherman's carts. These design patents teach carts which differ from the present invented apparatus for carrying fishing equipment in structure, operation, and result. The remaining patents, Hadnot, Lehrman, Watts '818, Anderson, and Edmonds are utility patents relating to carts.
Hadnot relates to a device for holding a plurality of fishing rods and is so constructed that a movement of the fishing rod will cause a signaling device to be actuated. Edmonds relates to a combination collapsible carriage for fishing gear and seating which is convertible to a load bearing unit, suitable for shopping, gardening and the like. The structure, operation, and result of the Hadnot and Edmonds devices are clearly distinct from the subject invention.
Lehrman relates to a collapsible cart having upper and lower supports for supporting laundry baskets or the like. Anderson relates to wheeled carriers that are collapsible to a minimum dimension for hand carrying and storing. Watts '818 relates to a wheeled cart constructed for use by fisherman in transporting their fishing gear and paraphernalia from a vehicle to a fishing site.
The present invented apparatus for carrying fishing equipment differs in structure, operation, and result from the related art. The present invented apparatus includes, among other elements, a unique linkage system for simultaneously collapsing the upper and lower supports, and rod holders employing a locking mechanism.